External Fear

Any fear of something in the external world that rises in a person’s heart is actually G-d’s right arm outstretched to rouse him to an existential fear of G-d. Thus, when a person becomes aware that this fearful experience is really G-d’s kindness meant to rouse him, this fear is transformed into love, because one then accepts it with love, and one is thus released from that fear.

(Degel Machaneh Ephraim)